Ribbon mechanism for type-writing machines.



J. A. ZIEGLBR.

RIBBON MECHANISM FOR TYPE WRITING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.I7,1910.

m. f mm k y Jr 1 m Mm W2 A aw mg m H mm m a r w NN M WITNESSES J. A.ZIEGLER.

RIB-EON MECHANISM FOR TYPE WRITING MACHINES.

APPLIOATION'FILBD MAR. 17,1910.

Patented B91123, 1913.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES J. A. ZIEGLER. RIBBON MECHANISM FOR TYPE WRITING MACHINES.

' APPLICATION FILED MAR. 17, 1910.

3 SHEETS-SHBET 3.

Aiomey INVENTOR UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JORAM A. ZIEGLEB, F CHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE, ASSIGNOB, TO ELLIOTT-FISHERCOMPANY, OF HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, A GOBJPORATION OF DELAWARE.

meson MECHANISM roe rvrnwnnrme MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filBd March 17, 1910. Serial N0. 549,920.

Tn all wlz am it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOBAM A. ,IEGLEB, a citizen of the United States ofresiding at Chattanooga, in the county of .Hamilton and State ofTennessee, have invented certain new and useful Improvemen s in RibbonMechanism for Type-Writing Machines, of which the following is aspecification.

My present invention relates to typewriting machines, and moreparticularly to ribbon mechanism adapted for manifolding.

One object of the invention is to produce a ribbon mechanism in whichthe ribbons are so arranged and supported that they ma be accommodatedin opposite folds of a ong manifold sheet or strip without-interferingwith the feed of the strip around the platen in the usual manner.

Another object of the invention is to so organize the ribbon mechanismthat. multiclirome ribbons may be employed and readily shifted to bringthe desired color stripe opposite .the printing point withoutinterfering with the ribbon feeding mechamsm.

A further object is to so organize the ribbon mechanism that the samemay be carried by the platen spindle and completely removed from themachine by the mere act of removing the platen in the usual manner.

Other objects of the invention will appear as the succeeding descriptionis developed.

In the accompanying drawings-Figure 1 is a plan view of so much of atypewriter as is necessary to illustrate the application of a myinvention thereto. Fig. 2 is a trans verse sectional view on the line2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the ribbon guides adaptedto be extended into the opposite folds of the manifold sheet or strip,the platen being indicated in dotted lines. Fig. 4 is a sectional viewon the line 41-4 of Fig, 1. Fig, 5 is a perspective view 5 of one end ofthe manifold sheet or strip.

Fig. 6 is a front elevation of one end of the platen and the ribbonmechanism-adjacent thereto. Fig. 7 is an end elevation of thesubject-matter of Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a side 9 elevation-oi the maindriving gear of the ribbon feeding mechanism showing .the as- ,sociatedpawl and ratchet device. Fig. 9 is a sectional view of thesubject-matter of Fig. 8. Fig. 10 is an elevation of the gear re ainingdisk showing the manner of its atmerica is a perspective view of themain supportmg frame of the ribbon mechanism. Fig. 13 is a sectionalview designed more particularly to show the relation of the ribbons andthe folded paper strip. fFig. -14 is a detail view showing single ribbonsections led into the folds of the strip. Fig. ,15 i s a detail view ofone of the ribbon guides shown in Fig. 14. Fig. 16 is a detail view ofthe arcuate guide.

Like numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the views.

1 indicates the platen, 2 the platen spindle and 3 the knurled wheels ofa typewriting machine of the standard or round platen type. The spindle2 is supported as usual in suitable bearings-in the end frame members4.- of the laten carriage, indicated as a whole by 5. he particularconstruction of these elements of the ty ewriter are not material, butso much of the structure here shown is substantially that of what isknown as the L. G. Smith ty writer.

' .6 indicates a scale ar extending as usual longitudinally of theplaten slightly below and in advance of the same.

Associated with the platen 1 and carried by the spindle thereof is whatI term the main frame 7 of the ribbon mechanism.

' The frame 7comprises a bar 8 disposed over and adjacent to the platenand'connecting two substantially rectangular spool frames 9 and 10extending both. above and below the bar 8 and having their upperportions ofiset somewhat toward the rear of the machine, see F ig. 12.The side bars 11 of the spool frames are apertured as at 12 for thereception of the platen spindle 2 upon which the entire supportin frame7 is swung an adapted to rock slightly for the purpQSB of shifting theribbons laterally to present the proper color stripe at the printingoint in a manner to be hereafter describe tilting movement of the frame7 is limited by spring-pressed catches 13 carried by the This- PatentedDec 23, 1-913.

since they are part of the organization which is designed to be entirelyremoved from the typewriter by the act'of removing the platen. They areheld properly in position, however, by the heads of screws 17 which'area part of the usual construction of the typewriter- 10 are mounted tworibbon spools 20 and 21 which for the sake of clearness maybe referredto as the inner and outer spools. Each of these spools has securedthereto a gear wheel 20 and 21 alternately engaged by gears 20 and 21mounted onand rotatable with a counter shaft 22 afforded bearings in'theupper portion of the spool frame. The gears 20 and 21"v are separated bya somewhat greater interval than the gears 20 and 21 so that the gearson the counter shaft can never both be geared to the spool gears at thesame time. On the contrary, the counter shaft 22 is longitudinallyshiftable for the purpose of moving one of. the gears 20 or 21 into meshwith one of the spool gears 20 and 21 and simultaneously moving theother gear of the counter shaft out of mesh with the other spool gear.Thus by shifting the shaft 22 in the proper direction a drivmgconnectionmay be established between said countershaft andeither theinner or the outer ribbon spool. To effect this shifting of the countershaft'and its gears for the purpose of changing the ribbon feed, ashifting yoke 23 is mounted in the upper part of the spool frame andsuitably secured to the shaft 2-2 and in order that the ribbon feed atboth ends of the machine may be simultaneously.

changed through the medium of a single operating element or controllingmeans, the

yokes 23 at the respective ends of the platen I areconnected by aconnecting bar;24.-

. The ribbon reversing mechanismfincludes, in addition to certain of thedescribed elements a reversing lever 25 mounted on the top of one of thespool frames, as shown in Fig. l, and having an eccentric orcam slot 26engaging a-stud 27 projecting up-.

feed of the ribbons, which is of course effected by the rotation of theribbon spools, shall occur whenever the platen of the typewriter isrotated. For this reason, at a point between each pair of spool s,aratchet wheel 28 is fixed-to'the platen spindle 2 and is provided with ahub'to which is secured a retaining disk 29. Y

Surrounding the hub of the ratchet 28 and rotatable thereon but confinedagainst lateral movement by the disk 29 and theratchet wheel, is whatmay be termed the main driving gear 30 of the ribbon mechanism. The gearwheel 30 is in constant mesh' with an intermediate ear wheel 31 mountedon the counter shaft 22, the constant meshing of the two gears 30 and 31being preferably provided for by makingthe gear 30 of suflicient widthto accommodate the lateral movement ofthe gear 31 with the countershaft. The gear 30 is provided.

on one side face thereof with spring-pressed pawls 32 which -effectv aconnection between the ratchet 28 and said gear when the platen spindleis rotated in a forward direction, that'is to say, in thedirection'whi'ch ordinarily effects the normal feed of the paper. Forreasons which will be hereafter explained, however, it is desired that agiven ribbon spool, determined by the position of thecounter shaft,shall rotate to feed the ribbon not only when the platen is rotatedforwardly, but also when the platen is r0- tated in a backwarddirection. To attain this end it is of course necessary to provide meanswhereby the rotation of the platen in either direction will effectrotary movement of a given ribbon spool in a single or uniformdirection. Therefore a second, but reversely acting connection, iseffected between the counter shaft 22 and the platen spindle.

Beyond the outer side of the spool frame the platen spindle is providedwith a second 34 disposed to-engage a ratchet 35 fixed to the platenspindle. This group of elements,

to-wit the gear 33, the pawls 34 and the ratchet 35 are similar, intheir relation to each other and to the platen spindle, to the gear 30,dogs 32 and ratchet 28, except that the two ratchets are reverselyacting. .That

is to say, when the platen spindle rotates forwardly the ratchet 35clicks idly under the pawls 34 and effects no' rotary -movement-of thesecond driving gear 33, while the gear 30 is driven by its pawl andratchet mechanism to impart movement to.

the counter shaft422 and the particular ribs bon spool geared thereto.Durin the re,

verse or backward movement of t e platen spindle, however, the gear 30isidle and the gear 33 is positively driven, driving in turn anintermediate pinion 36 suitably mounted on a stud shaft projecting fromthe spool nee -104 3 the gear 30 meshes directly with the gear 31 on thecounter shaft 22, whereas the second driving gear 33 drives the gear 37.

on the counter shaft through the interposed pinion 36. .Itthereforefollows that the counter shaft 22 and consequently the rib bon spoolgeared thereto will be driven in a iv-en direction whenever the platenspindle- 1s rotated and regardless of the direction. of rotation f. ofthe latter. Unlike any other ribbon mechanism with which I am familiar,each of the two ribbons employed is led from one spool'to the oppositeend of the platen and thence back again to another spool adjacent to theone from which the ribbon starts. In otherwords, both ends of the ribbonare wound] upon spools at the same end of the platen and an intermediateportion or loop of the ribbon is carried to a guide located at theopposite end of the platen. The ribbon a is led in the manner statedfrom the spools at the left hand end of the platen to a" ribbon guide a.at the right hand end of the platen, while the other ribbon b is ledfrom the spools at the right hand end of the platen to and around aguide 6 at theleft hand end of the platen. Each ribbon is thus doubledupon itself and overlaps a looped or doubled ortion of the other ribbon,as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 13. In order to cause the ribbon to liesmooth and thus feed with greater accuracy and freedom, a ribbon guideindicated 1 as a whole by 38 is mounted in front of each.

spool and includes a horizontal roller 39, over which the ribbon is ledfrom the spool, and an angular guide bar 40 around which the ribbon isled in its passage from the horizontal roller 39 to t e vertical guide aor b, as the case may be. The described arrangement of the ribbons isdesirable for the reason that obviously ribbons extending in the usualmanner across the platen from spool to spool could not possibly beutilized in connection with a folded strip of paper because each layeror ply of the strip is connected along one longitudinal edge with theadjacent ply or layer of said strip. llherefore, the ribbon must ofnecessity extend into the open side of the fold and extend to the closedside of the fold where it must terminate, as indicated in Fig. 14, orelse return throu h the same or open side of the strip. Snnilarly theguides at and b which are located Within the folds of the paper stripmust be suported by means which will accommodate itself to this eculiarform of the work element. For t is reason the guides a and b are in theform of'angular bars each'having a retainin tab 41 at one extremity anda-ribbon guiding loop 42 at i-tsopposite extremity. The tabs 41 aresecured to rearward extensions 13 of the frame bar 8 and the ribbonguides at and I) extend in opposite directions from their points ofattach ment in order to enable them .to bereceived within the oppositefolds of the manifold sheet or strip 72. Thus each ribbon guide issecured atone end only at the open side of the fold and is provided atits opposite extremity with ribbon engaging means which lieswithinthesame fold adjacent to the closed edge thereof. Thus the ribbonguides oppose no prohibitive obstruction to the free passage or feed ofthe manifold strip upon the several layers of which a type impressionmaybe simultaneously imprinted, the impression on the layers underlyingor behind the outside layer being produced by transference through theinstrumentality of the ribbons or other transfer elea5 ments retainedwithin the folds. Obviously,

however, the invention in certain aspects thereof is not limited to theuse of folded work elements, since it is obvious that separate sheetsmay be fed around the platen in alternation with the ribbons and infact, in alternation with the ribbon sections, since additionalsheets'may be passed through the loop formed by each individual ribbon.Nor

is it absolutely essential that the ribbon en- 5 gaging portions of theribbon guides 11 and b be in the form of loops, but where-the workelement is in the form of a folded strip it is desirable because theouter bar of the loop constitues a paper guide directly mo engaging thefold of the paper and guards the fold from direct contact with the endof the ribbon loop, thus reducing the tendency of the ribbon, when fed,to smut or soil the paper. vAt this point it may be well to directattention to the utility of the particular method here shown of feedingthe ribbons. It will of course be understood that the folded paper striplies closely upon the interposed transfer elements and exerts a normaltendency when fed either forward or backward, to shift the ribbonlaterally and thus effect its displacement unless the ribbon'is heldtaut. If a positive gear connection is efiected between the platenspindle and one of the spools. obviously the ribbon will be drawnforward and held taut during the rotation of-the platen in onedirection, but if the platen is rotated in the reverse direction, thespool will be reversely rotated, thus slacking the ribbon and permittingits lateral displacement in the manner specified.- If, on the contrary,the ribbon is allowed to remain stationary during one movement of theplaten, there is still some tendency, though not so great, to displacethe ribbon. In order, therefore, to insure the accurate location of the-ribbon under all conditions of paper feed, whether forward or back,provision is made, as heretofore described, for compelling the ribbon tobe fed'in one direction, determined by the spool in gear, whenever theplaten is rotated either forward or back so that lateral displacement ofthe ribbon from the printpointin either the forward or rearwarddirection of the paper feed is avoided. Furthermore, it will nowbeevident that since the ribbon supporting and guiding mechanism is allcarriedby a single rocking structure swingin about the axis of a platen,the ribbon may e raised or lowered relative to the printin point by theadjustment of the frame 7 re ative 'to the arch bars 15 to do which'itis simply necessary to disengage the catch 13 and shift the frame untilsaid catch engages in the next opening in the arch bar. The manipulationof both of the catches shown'at opposite ends of the platen isunnecessary because the catch at theleft-hand end of the platen issufiiciently shortto enable it to be forced outgof the openings by thepressure exerted on the frame, the enga ement between this left handcatch and 1ts arch bar beingmerely" sufficient to insure accurate.alinement of the parts in the event of any slight torsional yield. Asthe aper web leaves the platen it is preferably ed upwardly through apaper guide 43 comprising front and rear members 44 and 45, the formerof which has a knife edge 46 against which the'printed end of the papermay be drawn and severed.

It should be understood that while for illustrative purposes theinvention is shown applied to a standard or round platen type-' writer,the invention in several aspects is capable of embodiment not only inother standard or round platen typewriters, but

also in any machine capable of printing upon manifold sheets or strlps,since it is broadly new, so far as I am aware, to provide an arrangementof inking ribbons so combined with their retaining devices that they maybe accommodatedwithin the opposite folds of a manifold sheet or stripwithout interfering with the feed of the latter or of the ribbons whenthe stripis of considerable length. Furthermore, it is believed to bebroadly new to provide for the tensioning of the ribbon whenever thepaper is fed relative to it in order that such feed of the aper willnoteffect displacement of the ri bon. It is furthermore novel in machinesof the round platen type to extend a ribbon or other transfer elementbetween carriers or ides so located and arranged that the ribns may beaccommodated in the opposite folds of a long work element the length ofwhich is not limited-in any manner by the ribbon or its supportingelements.

For convenience in claiming, attention is directed to the fact that theseveral ribbon spools, as well as the several ribbon guides, may bereferred to broadly as carriers and in-many of the claims this broaddesignation will be employed since it is obvious that in broader aspectsof the inveiition the specific character of the ribbon engaging andretaining devices is not material,the essence of the invention residingrather ,in the relation of these devices-than in the form thereof. I

In Fig. 14 I have shown a modificationin' which the ends of ribbons a:are led into the folds ofithe' sheet from the inner spools and carriedinto the opposite folds of the work sheet where their extremities areretained by the guidesaand b. When the ribbons are mounted in thismanner they are not designed to be automatically fed, and the feedingmechanism maybe thrown out of gear by sim ly throwing the springs of theseveral pawls 32 and 34k under instead of over the pawls.

It is thought that from the foregoing,'the construction, operation andadvantages of my invention will be clearly apparent, but I wish toreserve the right to effect such changes, modifications and variationsof the illustrated structure as may come fairly within the scope of theprotection prayed.

What I claim is 1. The combination 7 with supporting means for a foldedpaper strip, of an ink ribbon located within a fold of the strip anddisposed transversely thereof, and means extended within a fold of thepaper strip to retain the ribbon.

" 2. The combination with supporting means for a folded paper strip, ofa carrier, a transfer element extended into a fold of the paper stripfrom the carrier and disposed t-ransverselyto said strip, and meansextended into said fold of the paperstrip to support thetransfer elementat a poi'nt remote from the carrier.

3. The combination. with supporting means for a longitudinally foldedwork'element, of two carriers both supported outside of a fold of saidwork element and one of said carriers being extended into said fold ofthe work element, and-a transfer element extended between the carriersandv located within the foldof the work element.

4. The combination with supporting means for a longitudinally foldedworkelement, of two carriers both supported outside of a fold of saidwork element and one of said carriers being extended into said fold ofthe work element, and-a! transfer element extended between the carriersand located within a fold of the work element and extended transverselyof said element.

5.. The combination with a support for a longitudinally disposed workelement, of a ribbon'carrier located outside of the fold of said workelement, a second ribbon carrier supported outside of said fold of thework element, but extended into said fold, a transfer element extendedbetween the carriers 45 a w ribbon.

and located within the fold of the work element, and means for feedingthe transfer element.

6. The combination with a support for a longitudinally folded workelement, of two carriers supported beyond the'open side of a fold ofsaid work element, and a ribbon extended from one carrier to theother'and located within a fold of the work element.

7. The Combination with a support for a longitudinally folded workelement, of two carriers supported beyond the open side of a fold ofsaid work element, a ribbon extended between said carriers and locatedwithin a fold of the work element, and

means for feeding the ribbon longitudinally.

8. The combination with a support for a longitudinally folded workelement, of two carriers supported beyond the open side of a fold ofsaid work element, and a ribbon extended between said carriers andlocated within a fold of the work element, said ribbon being shiftabletransversely.

9. The combination with a support for a' longitudinally folded workelement, of two carriers supported beyond the open side of afold of saidwork element, and a ribbon extended between said carriers and locatedwithin a fold of the work element, said ribbon being shiftabletransversely and movable longitudinally.

10. The combination with a support fora longitudinally folded workelement, of two carriers supported beyond the open side of a fold ofsaid work element, a ribbon extended between said carriers and locatedwithin a fold of the work element, and ribbon feeding means.

11. The combination with a support for a longitudinally folded workelement, of two carriers supported beyond the open side of a fold ofsaid work element, and a ribbon extended between said carriers andlocated Within a fold of the work element, one of said carriers beingmovable to feed the 12. The combination with a support for alongitudinally folded work element, of two carriers supported beyond theopen side of a fold of said work element, and a ribbon extended betweensaid carriers and located within a fold of the work element, saidcarriers being movable in unison to shift the ribbon transversely.

13. The combination with a support for a longitudinally folded workelement, of two carriers supported beyond the open side of a fold ofsaid work element, and a ribbon extended betweensaid carriers andlocated within a fold of the work element, said carriers being movableto shift the ribbon transversely and one of said carriers being movableto feed the ribbon lon 'tudinally.

, 14-. The combination wit means for supporting a longitudinally foldedpaper strip,

of a carrier supported exclusively'beyond the open side of a fold ofsaid strip and extended intothe fold, a ribbon spool, and a ribbonextended into the fold of the paper strip from said spool and engaged bythe carrier.

15. The combination with means for feeding a manifold striplongitudinally, of a ment at different points in its length,saidcarriers being supported at points intermediate of the ends of saidstrip and outside of the fold thereof within which the transfer elementis retained.

17.- The combination with means for feeding a manifold sheet or strip,of a transfer element located within a fold of said strip and extendedtransversely thereof, and two carriers engaging the transfer element atdifferent points in its length, said carriers being supported at pointsintermediate of the ends of said strip and outside of thefold thereofwithin which the transfer element is retained.

18. The combination with a rotary platen, of means, including theplaten, for feeding a manifold sheet or strip, a transfer elementlocated within a fold of the manifold sheet or strip, and retainingmeans for said transfer element, said retaining means being supportedexclusively outside of the fold of said strip within which the transferelement is located and intermediate of the ends of said strip wherebythe feed of the manifold strip is not interfered with by the retainingmeans for the transfer element.

19. The combination with a rotary platen, of means, including theplaten, for feeding a manifold sheet or strip, a transfer elementlocated within afold of the manifold sheet or strip, retaining means forsaid transfer element, said retaining means bein supported exclusivelyoutside of the fold o ribbon disposed transversely of said manisaidstrip within which the transfer element is located and intermediate ofthe ends of said strip whereby the feed of the manifold strip is notinterfered with by the retaining .means for the transfer element, andmeans for feeding the transfer element.

20. The combination with a rotary platen, of means, including theplaten, for feeding a manifold s'heet or strip, a transfer element 1located within a fold of the manifold sheet or strip, and retainingmeans, for said transfer element, said retaining means being supportedexclusively outside of the fold of porting the manifold sheet or strip,of a pair of ribbon spools upon which the opposite ends of the ribbonare wound, an intermediate portion of said ribbon being extended into afold ofthe manifold sheet or strip from the open side thereof, and acarrier supported exclusively outside of the fold and intermediate ofthe ends of the strip and retaining that portion of the ribbon extendedinto the fold, the supporting of the carrier in the manner specifiedserving to prevent the same from interfering with the longitudinalmovement of the manifold strip relative to the ribbon.

22. The combination with a rotary platen and a ribbon, of platenrotating means, and mechanism cooperatively related to the platenrotating means and to the ribbon to feed the ribbon longitudinally when.the platen is rotated .in either direction.

The combination with paper feeding means, including a platen, of aninking ribbon, and means for placing the ribbon undertension wheneverthe paper feeding means is operated.

24. The combination with a rotary platen,- p

of platen rotating means, an inking ribbon, and ribbon feeding meansoperative to feed the ribbon in a uniform direction whenever the platenis rotated either forward or back.

25. The combination with a rotary platen, of platen rotating means, aninking ribbon, ribbon feeding means operative to feed the ribbon in auniform direction whenever the platen is rotated either forward or back,and

7 means for changing the direction of the rib bon feed.

26. The combination with a platen and its spindle, of a frame carried-bythe spindle and adapted to rock about the axis thereof, ribbon spoolsmounted in the frame, and a ribbon extended between said spools andadapted to be shifted transversely by the rocking of the frame.

27. The combination with a platen and its spindle, of a frame carried bythe spindle and adapted to rock about the axis thereof, ribbon spoolsmounted in the frame, and a ribbon extended between said spools andadapted to be shifted transversely by the rocking of the frame, saidribbon spools being mounted concentric with the axis of the frame.

28. The combination with a platen, of ribbon spools mounted beyond theopposite ends thereof, ribbons extended from said spools into oppositefolds of a manifold web or strip led opposite the platen, and.

ribbon carriers extended into said opposite folds of the manifold stripto engage and support the ribbons and supported exclusively outside ofsaid folds and intermediate of the ends of the strip.

29; The combination with a platen, of a set of ribbon spools adjacent toeach end of the platen, ribbons looped into the opposite folds of amanifold sheet or strip led opposite the platen, each of said ribbonsbeing wound upon the spools of one set, and ribbon carriers extendedinto the opposite folds of a manifold sheet or strip and engaging thelooped portions of the ribbons to retain the same in place, saidcarriers being supported exclusively outside of the folds of themanifold sheet or strip and intermediate of the ends of said strip.

30. The combination with a platen, of a frame movable about the axis ofthe platen, ribbon guides carried by the frame, and a ribbon extendedbetween said guides and shiftable transversely by the movement of theframe about the axis of the platen.

31. The combination with a platen, of a frame movable about the axis ofthe platen,

' ribbon guides carried by the frame, a ribbon extended between saidguides and shiftable transversely by the movement of the frame about theaxis of the platen, and means for retaining the frame to hold a desiredportion of the ribbon opposite the printing oint.

32. In a typewriting machine, the combination with means for feeding alongitudinally folded paper strip, of a ribbon, supports engaging theribbon at opposite sidesof the printing point, one of said supportsbeing constructed and arranged to retain a portion of the ribbon withina fold of the paper strip, and means for feeding theribbon.

33. An attachment for typewriters, comprising aplurality of spoolspositioned at the ends of the typewriter platen, and inking ribbonswound from one spool at one end of the platen to another spool at thesame end of the platen and passed in front of the platen with aplurality of thicknesses of said ribbons across the printing point ofiaid platen and guiding means for the rib- 34:- An attachment of thecharacter described, comprising a plurality of spools positioned at theends of a platen, tW-o inking ribbons, one ribbon wound at its ends uponthe spools at one end of the platen, the other ribbon wound at its endsupon the spools at the other end of the platen, means supporting saidribbons between their ends whereby four thicknesses of said .rib-

bons are disposed across the platen at the positioned at the ends of aplaten, two inking ribbons, one ribbon wound at its ends upon the spoolsat one end of the platen, the other ribbon wound at its ends upon thespools at the other end of the platen,

and between its ends passed through said,

guide whereby two thicknesses of said ribbon are positioned in front ofthe printing point of said platen.

37. An attachment of the character described, comprising two pairs ofspools positioned at opposite ends of a platen, guides located adjacentthe ends of the platen, one inking ribbon Wound at its ends around thespools at one end of the platen and between its ends passed through oneof said guides, the other ribbon wound at its ends around the spools atthe opposite end of the platen and between its ends around the otherguide, whereby four thicknesses of said ribbon are located in front ofthe printing point of said platen.

38. The combination with a typewriter platen, of two spools mounted ateach end of said platen, inkingribbons passed from one spool at one endof the platen to-the other spool at the same end of the platen andproviding a plurality of thicknesses of a rib-hon across the printingpoint on said platen and guiding 'means for the ribbons.

The combination with a roller platen, a shaft for turning said platen,two spools on said shaft at each end of the platen, of inking ribbonswound on said spools passing from end spool at one end of the platen tothe other spool at the same end of the platen and across the printingpoint of said platen, whereby a plurality of thicklnesses of the ribbonis located across the printing point of said platen and guiding meansfor the ribbons.

40. The combination with a roller platen and a platen shaft of twospools mounted to turn loosely on said shaft at each end of the platen,inking ribbons passing from one spool at one end of the platen to theother spool at the same end of the platen and across the printing pointon said platen, means for transmitting motion to any of said spools andguiding means for the rib bons.

41. The combination with a roller platen, of a shaft for turning thesaid platen, and spools loose on said shaft at both ends of the platen,inking ribbons wound on said spools and adapted to be moved across theplaten, pinions fixed to said spools, a gear wheel fixed to said shaftbetween the pinions, means for transmitting motion from said gear wheelto either of said pinions and guiding means for the ribbons.

42. The combination with av roller platen, of a shaft for turning thesaid platen, and spools loose on said shaft at both ends of the platen,inking ribbons wound on said spools and adapted to be moved across theplaten, guiding means for the ribbons, pinions fixed to said spools, agear wheel fixed to said shaft between the pinions, a counter shaftabove the spools, a pinion on said shaft meshing with said gear wheel,and gear wheels on said counter shaft adapted to be moved into mesh withthe pinions on the spools, but'ono of said last mentioned gears beingmeshed at a time.

43. The combination with a roller platen of a shaft for turning the saidplaten, an spools loose on said shaft at both ends of the platen, inkingribbons wound on said spools and adapted to be moved across the platen,guiding means for the ribbons, pinions fixed to said spools, a gearwheel fixed to said shaft between the pinions, a counter shaft above thespools, a pinion on said shaft meshing with. said gear wheel, and gearwheels on said counter shaft adapted to be moved into mesh .with thepinions on the spools, but one of said last mentioned gears being meshedat a time, said counter shaft mounted to reciprocate within certainlimits to position either of the gear wheels on said shaft intooperative engagement with a spool pinion, and finger holds'on the endsof said counter shaft.

44. The combination with a roller platen, of bars secured adjacent tothe platen forming paper guides, ribbon guides secured to sald bars,ribbon supporting spools, ribbon on said spools and said ribbons sopositioned through said uides that a plurality of thicknesses of ribbonwill be positioned across the printing point of the platen.

45. An attachment for typewriters, comprising a plurality of spoolspositioned at the ends of the typewriter laten, inking ribbons adaptedto be wound 'rom one spool at one end of the platen to the other spoolat the same end of the platen and passed in front of the platen with aplurality of thicknesses of said ribbons across the printing point ofsaid platen, guiding means for the ribbons, and means for moving saidribbons when the platen moves.

46. An attachment of the character described, comprising a plurality ofspools positioned at the ends of a platen, two inking ribbons, oneribbon wound at its ends upon the spools at one end of the platen, theother ribbon wound at its ends upon the spools at the other end of theplaten, means supporting said ribbons between their ends whereby fourthicknesses of said ribbons are, disposed across the. platen at theprintingpoint,

ribbon wound at its ends upon the spools at the other end of the platen,means supporting said ribbons between their ends whereby fourthicknesses of said ribbons are disposed across the platen at theprinting point, and means for turning certain of said spools when theplaten moves. 7

48. An attachment of the character de .scribed, comprising a pair ofspools positioned at one end of a platen, a fixed loop or guide in frontof the platen near its. en opposite to the location of the spools, and aribbon wound at its ends on said spools and between its ends passedthrough said guide whereby two thicknesses ofisaid' ribbon arePOSItlOIIBddH fIOIIt of the printing point of said platen, and means formoving.

either .of said spools to draw the ribbon from the other spool when theplaten moves.

49. An attachment of the character described, comprising two pairs ofspools positioned at opposite ends of a platen, guides located adjacentthe ends of the platen, one inking ribbon wound at its ends around thespools at one end of the platen and between its ends passed through oneof said guides, the other ribbon wound at its ends around the spools atthe opposite end of theplaten and between its ends around the otherguide, whereby four thicknesses of said ribbon are located in front ofthe printing point of said platen, and means for moving said ribbonswhen the platen moves.

50. The combination with a typewriter platen, of two spools mounted ateach end of said platen, inking ribbons-passed from a. spool at one endof the platen to the other spool at the same end of the platen andproviding a plurality of thicknesses of a ribbon across the printingpoint on said platen, guiding means for the ribbon and means for movingsaid ribbons when the platen moves.

51. The combination with a roller platen, a shaft for turning saidplaten, and two spools on said shaft at each end of the platen, ofinking ribbons wound on said spools passing from one spool at one end ofthe platen to the other spool at the same end of the platen and acrossthe printing point of said platen, whereby a plurality of thicknesses ofthe ribbon is located across the printing point of said platen, guidingmeans for the ribbons and means for moving said ribbons when the platenmoves.

52. The combination with a roller platen and a platen shaft, of twospools mounted to turn loosely on said shaft at each end of the platen,inking ribbons passing from one spool at one end of the platen to theother spool at the same end of the platen and across the printing pointon said platen, and means for transmitting motion to any of said spools,and means for moving said ribbons when the platen moves.-

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

J ORAM A. ZIEGLER. Witnesses:

D. A. COLNE, J. FRANK GULVERWELL.

